Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Docuseries in the Works
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is getting into the episodic TV space.
The organization is teaming with Wilshire Studios to develop docuseries Immortals. Each episode of the anthology will team renowned film and TV directors with Rock Hall inductees for an exploration of the artistic and cultural significance of some of the world's greatest rock 'n' roll legends. A network is not yet attached; Wilshire Studios will shop Immortals to streaming platforms and cable networks.
The current plan will be to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame open its collection of archival materials and artifacts and invite an acclaimed director to explore the impact of their favorite rock artist on their work and the cultural landscape as a whole.
"The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is such an amazing brand to be able to partner with," said BJ Levin, senior vp development at Wilshire Studios. "Their wealth of untapped research material and resources will allow this series to stand among some of the great music doc series."
While the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's annual induction ceremony has been televised annually — Amazon will stream this year's induction, which is set for July l1 — Immortals marks the organization's first foray into ongoing episodic TV work. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation president and CEO Joel Peresman will executive produce alongside Andrew Hoegl (High School Reunion, Flipping Out, The Real Housewives of New York City).
"The mission of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is to honor the legacy and influence of our inductees," said Peresman. "With this new partnership with Wilshire Studios, we now have another outlet to produce stories about the huge influence rock and roll has had on our lives and culture."
Members of the Rock Hall include Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, The Supremes, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Johnny Cash, Tina Turner, Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, Elton John, Bob Marley, Janis Joplin, David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Prince, U2, Blondie, R.E.M., Madonna, Beastie Boys, Nirvana and N.W.A., among scores of others. Inducted during the April 14 event were Bon Jovi, The Cars, Dire Straits, The Moody Blues and Nina Simone.
NBCUniversal-based Wilshire Studios is overseen by Dawn Olmstead and George Cheeks, who also serve as co-presidents of Universal Cable Productions. Wilshire Studios, which focuses on unscripted fare, also exec produces E!'s Live From the Red Carpet and the People's Choice Awards, among other shows.
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